


The Rise of the Phoenix

by PhoenixLuna



Category: One Piece
Genre: Child Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco, Flashback, One Shot, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25129072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixLuna/pseuds/PhoenixLuna
Summary: A little story about how Marco joined the Whitebeards.[Attention! Not my story! This is the English translation of "Rise of the Phoenix" by LastPromise on fanfiktion.de! I asked the owner of this story if I can translate it into English and got permission to do it.]
Comments: 1
Kudos: 30





	The Rise of the Phoenix

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [The Rise of the Phoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/644569) by LastPromise. 



> English is not my mother tongue. Sorry if I made some mistakes. I will still give my best. Hope you like it. Have fun reading it.

The little fire flea, sitting with sunken shoulders on the railing. Marco watches him from his seat. Then he shakes his head in order to bring the stubborn one something to eat. Too bad for the cooks, that father has found his liking for the food destruction machine.

But this guy has to realize that he belongs to the Whitebeards now. He'll have fun with that pig-headed fellow, who does he remind him of?With a warm bowl of stew in his luggage he sets off for the spare lighter. Standing in front of him he put the bowl on the floor. Then he turns around and wants to leave. But he hears Ace's question: "Why do you all call him father?"And Marco remembers how he got to Whitebeard:

_Marco is seven and has lived alone on the street for 2 years. His mother had died of a high fever, he never knew his father. The hunger and the cold were everyday life for him. He had learned to fight for his life. Travels as a stowaway from island to island. He no longer knew fear._

_He's angry at the whole world.  
_

_He's on an island, standing at the docks. His stomach is growling and he desperately needs something to eat. Otherwise he'll starve to death. He hasn't eaten in four days. He needs someone to steal from. So he's standing at the docks, looking for a frivolous, drunken pirate to rob. Reckless and risky, he knows that._

_But that was the good thing about a life without a future, there is no fear. He waits and watches the people at the port to find a suitable victim. At that moment he sees a huge ship running into the port. The head looks like a whale.  
_

_He sees the crew docking the ship. The captain comes ashore. A giant with an enormous aura. He swallows. But they seem to have money. And they seem strong. That could be their fate. Strong pirates are careless because they think no one will rob them. Marco gets up and follows the captain. That is the advantage of being small and inconspicuous. Nobody notices him. He follows the pirates to a bar.  
_

_Marco follows the pirates into the bar and immediately disappears into a dark corner. The pirates sit down at a nearby sitting area and order alcohol. The captain sits contentedly in the round and watches everyone from his crew laughing. "Father, how long are we staying here?" asks a man. Marco frowned. Father? The man is the captain's son? But others also call him father. Marco puffs. Pathetic, acting like family. Marco never lets the captain out of his sight. After a while, he's been boozing and his crew is drunk too. Or rather the part that is with him._

_Marco sees his chance. He sneaks up to the captain and steals his wallet. Then he makes him come out of the bar._

_What he doesn't know is that the name of the captain is Whitebeard. And that he knew he was being followed when he got as soon as he entered the docks. He knew the kid stole his wallet, but it was only money. He's more interested in that little snotty-faced kid who had the nerve to steal from him._

_Besides, the rascal didn't look like he had a place he belongs. Whitebeard grinned, he should keep an eye on that little fellow. He looks like a fighter and he's got guts. All he needs is a home, then he might become a good man. One of his sons falls over drunk, and Whitebeard's smiling._

_Marco stands in a dark alley and takes the money from the wallet. He has a dark grin. It wasn't much but he can get new shoes and something to eat with it. The pirate would not be hurt by the loss. Now he has to find a place to sleep. He's making his way to the docks. Between the crates and the tarpaulins the best place to find a place to sleep._

_After a while he arrives at the port and looks around. There in the corner a dark place with many boxes and tarpaulins. He hides there and curls up against the cold. He couldn't buy any food at first, the danger of the giant noticing is too high. Tired he closes his eyes. He would finally like to sleep properly again without being under constant stress._

_He falls into a light sleep. Then he wakes up because he hears voices nearby. "Is that a devil fruit?" he hears a voice. "Yes we can sell it for a bunch of money," says another. Marco looks out of a gap and sees two cracked figures. They're holding a funny-looking blue fruit in their hands. So this thing was worth a lot of money? The two of them he could snatch it off quickly._

_He gets up and follows the two as they leave the port. He's been following them for a while when they finally make a mistake. They're careless for a moment and he grabs the fruit and takes off. He zigzags through the alleys and doesn't take a straight road.  
_

_He goes back to his hiding place between the boxes._

_The morning is beginning to dawn. Marco hides the fruit between the boxes and the masonry of a hall. Then he crawls out of his hiding place and makes his way to get something to eat with the stolen money. He also has to find out where he can sell the devil fruit. He has already heard about these things. They are said to give a superhuman strength and there is always only one.  
_

_He goes to the bakery and gets bread from the scornful looks of the vendors. But he had money to pay and so they leave him alone. Greedy bastards.  
_

_He sits in a corner and eats the bread slowly. He must not eat fast, he knows that. He hadn't eaten for too long. A shiver runs down his spine. Someone is watching him. He knows! Marco looks around discreetly. And there in the corner of the docks. The giant captain. He watches Marco grinning. He hasn't noticed anything, has he? Marco swallows and makes off. He mustn't meet him again!_

_Marco goes to a shop with curiosities. Hopefully he can get rid of the fruit here. He looks at the salesman. He too looks at the neglected child with contempt. Although Marco is used to the looks by now, he clenches his fist angrily. He hates people, they are cruel and vain. "I have a devil fruit for sale!" says Marco growling. The salesman raises his eyebrows: "And where is it?" the salesman asks sarcastically. Marco snarls: "I'm not that stupid to carry it with me! Interested?" growls Marco. "Hmm, when I see it," says the salesman with a grin. Something is weird, but Marco has no choice. He nods and leaves the shop. On the way to his hiding place, he keeps looking around. But nobody follows him, nor is anyone watching him._

_He is just crawling out of his hiding place with the devil fruit in his hand when he hears a shot. Shortly afterwards he feels a sharp pain in his stomach. He presses his hand on his stomach. It is wet. He raises it up to his face and sees that it is red with blood. "You little brat, stealing from me!" he hears the voice of the man from whom he took the fruit. He clings to the fruit and looks up. He sees the man who has a gun. He feels that he is bleeding badly. There is no way he would survive this. But there was no way he would allow the men to triumph, he spits at the men's feet and then bites the fruit. So they wouldn't get it even if he dies on it! His field of vision slowly turns black._

_The men bellow up and one of them wants to kick Marco in the stomach but before he can do that there is a blade between them. Marco looks up and sees the giant he has stolen from. Then everything goes black. So this is how he dies: alone between enemies._

_Whitebeard had kept an eye on the little one all along. Then he sees the kid get shot. But instead of the kid being scared, he spits at their feet and bites the fruit. Whitebeard laughs and walks towards the group, just as one is about to kick the child, he thrusts his bisento into the ground directly in front of them so that he cannot reach the child. If there is one thing he does not like, it is people who attack defenseless children._

_The child looks at him. Whitebeard sees all the pain he's suffered in his eyes. Then they roll back and the child lies motionless on the floor. Whitebeard bends down and picks up the child. The men tried to attack him, but his sons had them out in an instant. "What have you got there, father?" asks one of his sons. "A little hothead," laughs Whitebeard. He holds the child gently in his arms and goes to the ship. He needs a doctor immediately. Then he notices the flames licking at the child's wound. He laughs out loud.  
_

_Marco wakes up in a soft bed. How long has it been since he slept in a real bed? Was he dead? Was the agony of his young life over?_

_He opens his eyes and blinks gently because of the bright light. Then he straightens up. He was in a sickbay. He suspects he's on a ship because of the movements. Wasn't he dead after all?_

_He looks around and sees the giant. Immediately, he goes into a ducking position. Like an animal that has been cornered, he bared his teeth. But the giant just sits calmly on a chair and makes no attempt to attack Marco in any way. Carefully Marco leaves the bed, but doesn't let the giant out of his sight._

_Whitebeard's watching the child. His eyes reflect grief. What has this world done to that poor child? He gets up and gets down on his knees in front of the child. The child looks at him with suspicious and wise eyes. And when Whitebeard tries to get the child back on the bed, the child bites his hand. So as not to hurt him, he lets it happen. Well, what good's a little bite like that gonna do?_

_Marco has bitten the hand of the giant. But instead of reacting in any way, he carefully picks him up with his other hand and sets him down on the bed. "You must let go of my hand!" laughs the giant. "What is your name, child?" he asks. But Marco only growls. This one should just leave him alone! "My name's Whitebeard, but you can call me father," says the giant. Marco wants to get up from bed again, but Whitebeard just lifts him back in. "BUT YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!" yells Marco. Whitebeard just laughs. A man comes in and says to Whitebeard, "Father, you must come on deck!" Whitebeard nods and gets up. Then he strokes Marco over the head, although Marco flinches. A raised hand means pain for him._

_Whitebeard looks sadly at Marco and leaves the room. The man who called Whitebeard looks at him and says, "Hello, little one. My name is Vista! Do you want something to eat? You must be starving!" But Marco just gives the other guy a nasty look and says, "Shut the fuck up!"_

_But his stomach is playing tricks on him because he growls. The other one laughs and leaves the room. A little later he comes back in with a bowl of food. Marco just ignores him. The other one puts the bowl on the bedside table and eats a spoon, then he leaves the room. Marco looks at the bowl. He was so hungry. Could he really eat that? The other one ate a spoon, so it won't be poisoned! He takes the bowl and eats slowly. When he finished, he grabs the blanket and climbs up on the cupboard. There was a small gap between the cupboard and the ceiling. Because of Marco's small size and weight, he fitted in between. He curls up. He was full and it was warm. He was still so tired. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.  
_

_In the morning a huge noise woke him up. All over the ship, men were screaming. They're looking for him! Marco got scared after all. What he did not hear was that the voices were not angry but worried. He hadn't heard this feeling for too long._

_The door opens and Whitebeard enters the infirmary. He looks around. Where was that child? Then he looks around, and from the gap in the cupboard two suspicious eyes look at him. Oh, there's the hothead._

_"Come on out," says Whitebeard. But the child doesn't respond. "Come on. Nobody here's gonna hurt you, kid." He puts out his hand. Slowly, the kid crawls out and stops on the edge of the cupboard. "It won't happen. You're safe here, child!" Slowly and carefully, the child climbs up Whitebeard's hand. He crouches down as if expecting a blow._

_Marco remained cautious. Even if a feeling tells him he can trust the man. From a feeling Marco says his name. Whitebeard smiles and strokes Marco's head. He still looks at him suspiciously._

_The next few weeks Marco roamed the ship. He learned to read and write and showed a high level of intelligence. Although he feels comfortable here, he still remains suspicious. He has learned that adults cannot be trusted. That's why he doesn't call Whitebeard his father._

_One day he was on deck when a huge sea king came shooting out of the sea. No one was near him. The sea king wanted to attack Marco but suddenly Whitebeard was in between and the sea king took to fleeing._

_"Why?" asks Marco. Why did he intervene? He was no help, he doesn't belong here. Marco still has the shock in his bones and tears in his eyes. Whitebeard takes him in his arms and says only one sentence: "Because we are one family, my son!" says Whitebeard of course. Marco starts crying and says just one word, "Father!" He'd found a place, he'd found a family. and a future._

Marco looks at Ace and says: "Because he calls us his sons, it's just a word but it makes us happy!" With these words he grins broadly. The other one, but starts sobbing. Maybe the message finally got through. This here a home, a family and a future waiting for the fire flea.


End file.
